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Spa Drains Into Pool After System Shutoff; Check Valve Is New!


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After my system has shut off, water from my raised spa drains into the pool overnight until the levels are roughly equal. After reading other posts, I concluded the Jandy check valve on the spa return line might be the cause so I ordered a new valve. Upon removal of the old check valve, I discovered it was positioned with the red flapper flush against the pvc pipe. Water flowing through the line has no effect on it. The old check valve was in fine condition. It was originally installed this way 8 years ago when the pool was constructed. The drainage problem with the spa began about a month ago.

I installed the new check valve anyway; first the same way as the original one, and then I also repositioned it with the red flapper to open if spa return valve opened. The problem of spa draining into pool overnight persists regardless.

Since the check valve is not the problem, what could be causing the spa to drain? (And why was the check valve installed in such a way in the first place - it seems to have no purpose that way!)

I thought I had it beat with the check valve - now I'm stumped! Thanks for any advice!

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Valves that keep the pool water separate from the spa.

Suction side pool/spa valve (3 way).

Return side pool/spa valve (also 3 way).

If you have automation, check to be sure that the valve actuators are fully closing off the port that should be closed off.

Spa by-pass check valve (you have addressed this).

If you have an in-floor cleaning system that is also in the spa, there (should be) a check valve on the line to the pop-up heads in the spa.

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Thank you for your quick response!

I do have automation. The valve actuators on both suction and return sides are closing fully. The valve closing the spa suction (OFF toward spa suction) goes a little past the point of being parallel. Would this be the cause?

I do have an in-floor cleaning system that is also in the spa. However, I cannot locate a check valve for that line. The system is a QuikClean and it is located away from pool equipment, buried in a planter on the other side of the pool. Where would the check valve be, and what does this type look like?

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Thank you for your quick response!

I do have automation. The valve actuators on both suction and return sides are closing fully. The valve closing the spa suction (OFF toward spa suction) goes a little past the point of being parallel. Would this be the cause?

Yes!

I do have an in-floor cleaning system that is also in the spa. However, I cannot locate a check valve for that line. The system is a QuikClean and it is located away from pool equipment, buried in a planter on the other side of the pool. Where would the check valve be, and what does this type look like?

Probably buried in the planter with the water valve.

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Thanks again for responding, PC! Yesterday I turned the spa on, then off, and when the valve (pictured below) went back, it straightened out a little. This morning, the spa had drained again, but not as much! So now the valve is closer to parallel but still off a little. I'm not sure why the valve lined up better this time. I'm assuming the valve actuator does not need replacing, but rather an adjustment or a part replaced. Can you give me any further advice from here on what to do next?

valve_zps2d67064a.jpg

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  • 1 year later...

Hi, I had the same problem (my spa is about 10 feet higher than pool level). I tried all kinds of ways to fix it, paid the pool guys nice bucks but they did not resolve this problem. Finally, I fixed it myself by looking at the mechanics step by step.

First of all, the way that a 3 way valve (I use Jandy) is used at the spa/pool suction is fundamentally wrong. Strange that none of the professionals realize or admit that. The way these valves are installed is IN from the spa, IN from the pool and OUT to the pump. Wrong! that valve can never close 100% like that. It is designed to have an IN and two OUTs. Think of it like this: if a door in your house opens from the kitchen out into the hallway and you close the door and push it at the bottom from the kitchen, the door will bend a bit and create a slight "opening" at the borders. Push the bottom of the door from the hallway towards the kitchen, you close the door even tighter! Same principle for the valve!

Strictly speaking, we should use 2 valves instead of one, and a T-connector towards the pump, rather than one 3-way valve that serves as a T connector at the same time...

How I resolved the situation here: I added a second, 2-way valve between the existing 3-way valve and the spa inlet. So whenever the spa turns on, both valves open and turn the spa off, both valves close.

Not a single drop of leakage into the pool anymore.

Maybe there are other solutions, but this is just logic...

Good luck!

Roel

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Sounds like your diverter was worn, and you corrected the problem by adding another valve instead of replacing the worn diverter. Expensive way to go. If you are getting water past the diverter, as it sounds like by your description, it is not because the design is bad, it is because the diverter is worn, and no longer seals properly. Either the diverter stem, stem o rings, or the sealing surfaces were worn, or even the actuator may have been out of alignment. A diverter replacement, or actuator alignment should have fixed your problem. There are hundreds, no, thousands of these valves in operation today without a secondary or "backup" valve in place, (they are) working just fine with no water getting past their diverter. The fact that your pool guy could not fix your problem only means that he is not experienced enough to find this particular problem, or he didn't want to get that involved, or who knows why.

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  • 9 months later...

Thank you for your quick response!

I do have automation. The valve actuators on both suction and return sides are closing fully. The valve closing the spa suction (OFF toward spa suction) goes a little past the point of being parallel. Would this be the cause?

Yes!

I do have an in-floor cleaning system that is also in the spa. However, I cannot locate a check valve for that line. The system is a QuikClean and it is located away from pool equipment, buried in a planter on the other side of the pool. Where would the check valve be, and what does this type look like?

Probably buried in the planter with the water valve.

Pool Clown,

Were else can these check valves for the spa be located? I have found the one for the pool. Is it the same? I was told it is a different one.

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  • 2 weeks later...

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